Such a pain in the arse !!!

I am sorry, you really seem to be suffering.  Five weeks after treatment is still very early days and hopefully you will start to feel better very soon.  It is good that you have had it all checked out.  I had a mole removed from my buttock (unrelated to anal cancer and harmless) whilst I was on chemo and it took months to heal.  Eventually my GP practice nurse prescribed silver wound dressings and the result was truly remarkable; I still took some time to heal but the wound was much less painful and everything was sealed in the dressing. 

Do you think your sense of smell has been affected by the chemo?  In the early days I could barely eat most foods and had to find drinks that suited me and that took at least a couple of months to wear off.  I lived on cheese on toast with finely grated onion for weeks, it was all I could eat.  My sense of smell was really heightened.  Also bowel movements were extremely painful, your back passage is red-raw internally with the radiation but take heart, it does ease off eventually.  Use soft fragrance-free wet ones to wipe very gently. 

I do hope you start to feel better soon.

Hi Viktor18 that all sounds excruciatingly painful. Have you got your pain under control? If not I would urge you to contact your treating team  and ask them to review your pain medications.  Obviously, there is an expectation that there will be pain but if it’s to this level you should be reviewed and offered alternative or increased pain relief. 
I am not sure what the correct term is for what you are describing, particularly as no infection has been found. As this issue is continuing I would also flag up your ongoing concerns and ask for your doctor’s opinion about the smell problem.  
I really hope you get this sorted out asap. Bev. 

Viktor, hi - not sure if this will help but I think I had a similar thing re the smell. (Sorry if this is a bit too much information, folks). My tumour was inside my anus so not as painful as yours sounds but I was sure the irradiated bits of tumour were passed out of my bottom. I haven't anything to base this on really, but in between pooing I had to wear a pad all the time in my pants because I had this constant leaking bits of stuff with a weird smell, not a poo smell. This was towards the end of my radiotherapy and in the weeks that followed. Just something about your post rang a bell with me. It did eventually stop and the smell too, so hopefully this will be what happens with you. It is really early days for you, so my advice would be to just use the meds you have been given and keep your bottom clean. You have the assurance that there is no infection or anything nasty going on so I feel if you can just get through the coming weeks, things will improve. 

Thank you for your kind words and advise 

Funnily enough that’s exactly what I was thinking , I’m in pain but sometime it’s really bad and the leakage discharge seems to happen more . I sort of think when the pain turns up and the discharge happens more the cancer is being attacked and dying off hope so anyway seems to make it easier to get through the pain thinking that way . It’s a strange smell not like Pooh but more like sweaty greasy kinda smell . Same as yourself have to wear a pad to get the discharge like a clear watery discharge. 

Well, hang in there - not that we have much choice - and if our symptoms really are a result of the tumour reacting to the treatment then it makes it more tolerable, so keep thinking those cancer zapping thoughts!

All the best, Viktor. Things do seem to improve in time for us. Take special care of yourself.

Hi Viktor18,

I’m so sorry that you’re going through this right now. I agree with what’s been said already that you definitely need a medication review, you shouldn’t have to be suffering like this! It’s good news that there’s no infection going on but your pain meds should be offering you some relief. I also agree that the smell, in the absence of infection, could possibly be tumour die-off but if it continues please get someone, either your treating team or GP, to keep a close eye on it. I really hope you get some relief soon. 

Nicola 

Hi victor, I get a discharge/watery liquid too but mine is vaginally. It was one of my main symptoms before diagnosis. My onc says it’s just the tumor leaking fluid. I’m due to start radiation in 2 weeks and have been told to expect this to get worse during and after treatment while the tumor shrinks, so maybe that’s whats happening for you. 

the other thought is could you have a fistula formed? Maybe worth asking your oncologist if you haven’t already. 
hope your pain eases soon, I’m dreading radiation but also can’t wait to get started and zap the life out of it

Hi Viktor18 I know this was a while ago when you posted but just seen it and wanted to see how you are? I too had tumor hanging out it was really horrible! Long story short, by the third biopsy which 2 & 3 were under a general by two different the surgeons. But THANK GOODNESS the third one which was done by an incredible woman Miss MacDonald. She managed to remove almost all of what was hanging but unable to remove the rest. She said it would be too invasive. But this brought such relief I mean I’m not saying I could walk or sit normally but it definitely helped. Maybe speak to your specialist nurse ask if your surgeon could help? I know each area is different how it works hope you get some help. Thinking of you take care x 

Hello well I actually had chemo radiation to eradicate the tumour , or try . Seems to have worked as it has decreased in size dramatically  this was situated on the right hand side where it has been pressing and resting , touching on the left hand side it has created a hole/ wound / ulcer not sure correct term. This is extremely painful, also the original site of the tumour is painful we’re it’s been dissolved . I also had a perianal abscess drained prior to the diagnosis so that’s on the left Aswell which is really sore all in all it’s a bloody war zone down there . But it is healing and improving slowly , suppose it’s a slow healing area really , very pain fuk to have a number two constantly constipated from the pain relief , 

Slowly gerrin there